Improvement in exercising-machines



P. ASHTON. Exercising Machine.

No. 215,389. Patented May 13, 1879.

Y M 'EMWMMW N. PEI'ERS, PHOTO-L TMOGRAPHER WASHINGTON D O UNITED STATES ATNT FFIGE.

FRANK ASHTON, OF WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN EXERClSlNG-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 215,389, dated May 13, 1879; application filled October 24, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK ASHTON, of the city of Wheeling, county of Ohio, and State of West Virginia, have in vented a new and useful Rowin g Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates toimpro vin g the health and muscles of persons of sedentary habits, young ladies, children, and invalids.

It has long been held by physicians and scientists that there is no exercise that brings all of the muscles of the body into action so fully as that of rowing a boat; and as rowing can only he indulged in for a few summer months, and then by only a few who live near the wa ter, it is desirable to have, and a want has long been felt for, some invention that would give the same exercise as rowing, and one that can be used on lawns or piazzas in summer and in parlors or sittingrooms in winter.

The object of my invention is to supply this want, and furnish a healthy in and out door exercise for the class of persons above named.

The invention consists of an elevated way or ways, A, on which is a movable seat and foot rest, the seat being operated by a cord and pulley.

In the accompanyin g drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts, Figure 1 is a perspective of a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 shows foot rests.

A represents a frame, seven feet long by eighteen or twenty inches wide, made of hard wood, one inch thick and four or five inches deep.

The top ofthe sides of frame may be straight or curved, as shown by the dotted line w. The object in curving the sides is to .give a harder pull at the end of the stroke.

B is a seat on four rollers, c c c c. The seat may be on slides or rollers. I prefer the latter as an improvement on slides, as it avoids the use of grease.

d d are stirrups to keep seat in place; 0 e e e, foot-rests, the lower set of which is fastened to the under side of seat by the cord 7; ff,

straps connecting upper and lower foot-rests Gr, standard for supporting either end of frame A at any required angle; h h, clips on corners of frame A to catch on pins or screws in stand ard G and hold it in place; 2', pulley; j, cord or belt, to one endof which is attached the handle k. The other end, after passing around the pulley i, is fastened to the end of frame A back of seat.

on m m are guards, of cloth or leather, connecting seat and foot-rests, to prevent wearing ladies and childrens dresses; 0, post on end of frame back of foot-rests 2, cord, one end (ifl' which is fast to post 0, and the other to ban r e 3.

The operation of the device is as follows: After elevating the end of the frame A, back of the seat, to any required angle by use of standard G, the operator takes his place on seat B, puts his feet in upper set of foot-rests, and, reaching forward, takes hold of handle it and pulls himself backward up the incline ways A as far as he chooses; then, by bending forward, his weight will carry him down to starting-point, the operation to be repeated fast or slow at pleasure. By bending the knees up as the seat goes down, it will go nearly or quite to the foot-rests; then, by straightening the knees as he begins to pull up, it will bring the muscles of the legs in play.

The higher the end of the ways A are elevated the more strength is required to raise the weight of the operator, and vice versa.

The operator may also elevate the end of the frame A in front of the seat and put his feet in the lower set of foot-rests, and, taking hold of handle 3, pull himself forward up the incline.

In the last operation it only requires about one-third of the strength that it does in the first, and the line of draft is much higher than in the first, and therefore better adapted for children or invalids and persons inclined to be round-shouldered.

I claim- 1.. The combination, in an exercising-ma chine, of the standard G and horizontal frame A, the same being constructed and arranged to allow the variation in the angle of elevai 5. The pulley i and cord or belt j and hantion of said frame at either end, substantially dle k, in combination with the foot-rests e e as and for the purpose set forth. and frame A, constructed and arranged sub- 2. The movable foot-rests e e, in. combinastantially as shown and described. tion with the elevated Ways A, as described.

3. The seat B on, rollers, in combination FRANK ASHTON. with the elevated ways A and foot-rests e e, as described. Witnesses:

4. The guards m, in combination with the J. W. HILL,

movable foot-rests e e and seat B, as described. M. F. STUCK. 

